Exploits - Good for PvP , PvE & FD

[TheSynopticVision]

Hmmmmm....


And what exactly that would be beyond getting better tools to do what you already do?

Once again: for a game mechanic to be engaging (in an MMO context like Elite especially) it needs to meet two requirements:

1) be "mechanically" fun to do (so for ex. BH is fun because the flight model is great, the outfitting options are many...and so on. Piracy is fun because it requires the identification of a target, the use of a specialized module, the picking up of the cargo. Trading is (now) fun because requires planning of the best trade route based upon the state of the markets);

2) to give a long-term reward, something that "stays" after the fun activity has ended. This is what explains the existence of experience points in many RPGs, of monetary rewards, of loot...​

Elite has no experience points, no "loot", nothing that "stays" with you: only money (credits) is such a reward and measure of progression. And if the long term economic reward for activity X (which maybe takes a long time to complete) is risible (i.e. offers less than 1/10th) as compared to half hour of killing skimmers and self-destructing...the second requirement of being an engaging mechanic isn't met, and people will stop doing those activities.

To me, this looks like a failure in game design, as it disincentivizes players to do the activities you designed for them to do in the first place.

 

[sb413197]

I fully agree TS. Actually I think if every "exploit" we're still in the game people would be a lot happier - virtually every profession has had at least one!

 

[Han Zulu]

Keep the exploits, but change some other things instead. Like group the ships in exploration, combat, and trading and rank lock all of them. Then change the C/T/E ranks to tie to merits and achievements instead of credits. That way, it doesn't matter if you have 10 billion and want an anaconda, you have to complete a series of specific tasks before you can get to it. Then it the exploits won't matter as much.

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

Keep the exploits, but change some other things instead. Like group the ships in exploration, combat, and trading and rank lock all of them. Then change the C/T/E ranks to tie to merits and achievements instead of credits. That way, it doesn't matter if you have 10 billion and want an anaconda, you have to complete a series of specific tasks before you can get to it. Then it the exploits won't matter as much.

a few years ago i suggested a Pilots Federation licence which started off at E rated, and as we played the game we had opportunities to increase our licence.

every ship was rated E through to A (sidey being E, Anaconda - the pinacle at the time - A)

much like a drivers licence in the uk compared to a class 2 or a class 1 hgv licence and if you dont have the licence you have no insurance and it is a crime to fly the ship (which is not to say some anarchy factions may not let you buy them)

whilst it got some support, equally as many folk hated it because they want to fly an anaconda from day 1 and blaze your own trail yada yada yada.

for me the more complexity the better, i want to feel i earned my progress... for others tho, not so much

 

[Han Zulu]

a few years ago i suggested a Pilots Federation licence which started off at E rated, and as we played the game we had opportunities to increase our licence.

every ship was rated E through to A (sidey being E, Anaconda - the pinacle at the time - A)

much like a drivers licence in the uk compared to a class 2 or a class 1 hgv licence.

whilst it got some support, equally as many folk hated it because they want to fly an anaconda from day 1 and blaze your own trail yada yada yada.

for me the more complexity the better, i want to feel i earned my progress... for others tho, not so much

I think it would be a great idea. Players complain there's not enough game play while demanding to get end-game results with minimal effort. With a license, and maybe even re-certification missions each year, it would create a bit more interest, at least for me it would.

The problem with the exploits is that credits is the sole measurement for merits in the game. C/T/E is ranked based on your credits for each particular category, and the ships are ranked in price, so credits is the only token of "skill". Which means exploits is a "cheat" to that skill level. Something must be done to change that part, not the exploit itself.

 

[V'larr]

Elite has no experience points, no "loot", nothing that "stays" with you: only money (credits) is such a reward and measure of progression.

This is technically incorrect. You do get experience points, and they do 'stay with you' in the form of Pilot Federation rank, which you do get rewards for once you hit Elite. And materials technically qualify as a form of loot.

I'd like to point out that Elite is not (and ought not be) a horde looter.

 

[Cosmos]

Just my opinions,feel free to post yours

There used to be a time,early 2015, that many of us hated exploits and complained about them. In those days Credits mattered.Even after a few exploits,credit still mattered as only the few had the billions.
Now after many exploits, Credits mean nothing as a whole. On a "per Cmdr" level,it still means a lot.

PvE : I think more are slowly venturing in to OPEN as they now have the means to rebuy many times over,and not worry about other Cmdrs. WIN
PvP : Allows more Cmdrs to try this game mode,as they have lots of disposable income now,also there are many from PvE venturing in to OPEN. WIN
FD : I really do think that this "Free Credit" part of the game has kept the numbers up.

BGS : Win ? Lose ? Sorry, I am not well versed enough in this subject to comment(will let you guys do so)
Is it wrong?(Exploits) : Yes, definitely, but it's here to stay(as in they fix one and another pops up soon enough)

FD makes up for the worthlessness of Credits by making G5 Mats/Data still something to work for.

In my view the whole situation is poor. When it comes to earning money 'legit' Frontier really haven't got it right and thats after how many years? I'm afraid this is a failure of those who are tasked with designing and managing the game.

All credit exploits do is undermine the integrity of the game. That said I do understand why people use them but thats not to justify this behavior. In the end because everyone is seemingly at it anyone who isn't is at a disadvantage in terms of progression. And so the game has become a swamp, a rat-ship, where cheating and exploiting is considered acceptable.

It very much puts me off even playing because anyone can acquire almost infinite credits and this affects how the game is played and has a direct impact upon my own experience; yes it is an mmo.

 

[Chrystoph]

I had to stop and think about gold rushes and back when for a moment. What I realized was that I find gold rushing to be a way for me to be on par with the random spawning of NPC characters that aren't believable.

There was a time in the very early game where I was in a High RES and it seemed like every pirate in the spawn was flying an Anaconda, whether they were ranked Elite or Mostly Harmless. I distinctly recall looking at them all and thinking, I worked my tail off to get a Viper III and yet...

The game economy has always been broken, and that is enhanced with the ways that PCs are hindered compared to NPCs. Added to that is the fact that a lot of the game play is built on a leveling model without the risk/reward system that leveling games normally use.

I am principally an Explorer. To do that, I need a ship that meets certain standards, but those standards cost a certain amount. Money is nothing more to me than a means to an end, it is not an enjoyment factor in the game except in so far as it allows me to pursue the elements of the game that I enjoy. Even leaving aside exploration, there are periods in the game where my monetary value has not changed significantly because I wasn't doing anything that required earning.